Freight traffic assignment methodology for large-scale road-rail intermodal networks

A methodology is proposed for freight traffic assignment in large-scale road-rail intermodal networks. To obtain the user-equilibrium freight flows, a path-based assignment algorithm (gradient projection) was proposed. The developed methodology was tested on the U.S. intermodal network by using the 2007 freight demand for truck, rail, and road-rail intermodal from the Freight Analysis Framework, Version 3 (FAF3). The results indicate that the proposed methodology's projected flow pattern is similar to the FAF3 assignment. The proposed methodology can be used by transportation planners and decision makers to forecast freight flows and to evaluate strategic network expansion options.